The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-09-15
A PONY FARM.
An Annual Penning and Brand
ing on Chincoteague Island.
Stirring Scenes Witnessed by
Great Holiday Crowds.

fAhcuPt huii, CaroiHai SuiTt, Dluc
o<errss and barefooted. typical. speci-
men of the native, was holding by the
long name rcstive, dimlnutive pony,
the raising and pcnning of which have,
within the last decade made the island
of Chincotcague, Va, in connection
with its great oyster deposits, famous
throughout the country. And while he
was vocifcrous!y expatiating upon the
speeding qualities of his charge the
crowd was constantly augmenting in
size, curious heterogeneous congrega-
tion fpeoplc, who came in boats from
the Virginia shore aud in the cars from
the back counties in Maryland. This
year, however, the attendance has not
been confined exclusively to residents of
the immediate neighborhood, but Phila-
delphia, New York, Baltimore and
Washington have continued largely to
swell the crowds from the rural districts.
Conspicuous among this great audience
are the colored people who regard the
event as holiday and are always present
in full force.
These pennings take place annually,
and for weeks great preparations are
made by the people to attend them.
The beautiful bay of Chincoteague is
dotted thickly with sail of all kinds of
craft-the tiny sail boat, the canoe, with
its mutton leg white wings, the bug eye,
the pungy and the schooner-all filled
with human freight and all gravitating
toward the one great point. Here, too,
comes the steamer from Franklin City,
having on boarl the sightsecrs from
Maryland and the up-country people.
They all rush pell nell to the centre of
attraction, where the vast crowds are
good-naturedly pushing and jostling
each other for vantage grouud-black
and white, men, women and children,
mixed up in almost inextricablc confu-
sion.
1t is, almost impossible to learn any
thing definite as to the origin of the Chin
colleague pony, or an intelligent version
ofwhcncc it came. A great many claim
that there are an offspring of the pony
of the Shetland Isles and must have
found their way to Chincoteaguc from a
large steamer that was wrecked on the
island before it was inhabited. Certain
it Is, at one time they roamcd the island
in vast numbers, but when the great
storm of forty years ago devastated the
country and almost submerged Chin
colleague it came near annihilating them
In size the Chincoteaguc pony ap-
| proximates that of the Shetland. The
hair on their bodies is thick and shaggy
and their names and tails arc long and
| glossy. They are strong, hardy little
fellows, roaming wild on the extreme
southern end of the island, feeding on
the hay and tender roots which grow in
luxurious abundance in the salt marshes
bordering on the bay and the Atlantic
Ocean. When they are brought in they
are divided into what is known in the
vcrnacular as herds, and each herd has
| its own peculiar mark or brand to dis
tinguish it from the other, and thus OBJ
viate the difficulty Of dispute as to iden-
tity or ownership when corrallcd fol
branding. These branding irons are
made according to the notion of tho
owner, representing the initials, stars,
spear heads, crosses, ETC., and are easily
distinguished by the owner.
The men who herd the ponies are ex.
perienced riders, and in throwing the
lariat would put some Of the cowboys tc
blush. They are all mounted on fleet
horses and each one is provided with {
long whip and lasso They start out il
different directions and by circuitous
route come up within sight of the
ponies, quietly feeding on the salt
marshes, where they surround them
The sudden appearance of the rider.
generally frightens the ponies and 9
stampede ensues. Then comes an ex
citing chase for miles, the hcrdcrs usual
ly coming out the victors. The ponie!
are gradually gathered together in mass
and treated kindly until their fright al
the sudden disturbance has somewhat
subsidized, when they are driven to theil
pen, where the herding takes place
which is an immense space enclosed witt
board fence. HIRE the young colts
are picked out, labelled, and haltereC
together. As is well known, colt will,
by instinct, follow its mother, and, as ;
result, the colts of one herd are easily
distinguished from another.
The arrival of the herders with thu
ponies is the signal for the widest ex.
citement among the spectators, and loud
cheers greet their coming, and the po
nies are ushered into the enclosure witt
wild hurrahs and clapping of hands.
The process of branding is not only ex
citing, but exceedingly dangerous, and
accidents have frequently been the re-
suit. 1t requires an expert in the bu'i
ness to successfully manage it. The
pony is brought out, and while one man
holds his head the branding iron III
the hands of another is quickly applied
to the hip. The whole operation doe:
not ordinarily require more than five
minutes Sometimes, however, a coll
more refractory than the rest has to b'
thrown down before he will submit
Ropes are tied TO its legs, and it i
thrown down. Crowds of negro boys
ranging in age from 9 to 1;